Improvement in hygrometers



BOEKLEN s. STAEHLEN.

Hygrometer.

Patented Aug. 8, 1865.4 1

N. PETERS, Pima-Limagnpmr. washmgton. D. C,

tion of the same.

UNITED STATES PATENT VOFFICE.

REINHOLD BOEKLEN AND WM. STAEHLEN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEM ENT INl HYGROMETERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No, 49,221, dated Augustt5, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,'REINHoLD BOEKLEN and WILLIAM STAEHLEN, both of thecity of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have madecertain new and usef'ul Improvements in Hygrometers; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel represents a front elevation of our improved hygrometer having athermometer attached to it. Fig. 2 is a vertical central sec- Fig. 3 isa detached view of the hygrometrical spring of the same on an enu largedscale.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the`several figures.

The nature of this invention consists, first, in the employment of apeculiar wooden spring which is articially coiled, hardened, andprepared to absorb and deliver moistness from and to the atmospheric airvery rapidly,whereby the same is expanded or allowed to contract inaccordance with the amount of said moistness,

and also by being properly arranged and one end of it made stationary'with a dial, while its other end is provided with an indicator or hand,whereby the said moistness will be indicated on the dial, and ahygrometer will be produced cheaper and in a more accurate manner thanthose heretofore known or used.

It consists, second, in the employment of rattan and the peculiartreatment to which the same is subjected, whereby said hygrometricalsprings are manufactured in a simple and reliable manner to act moresensitively and more regularly expanding than other substances andtreatments heretofore known or used.

Y.Io enable others skilled in the artto make and use our invention, wewill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

In order to produce said hygrometrical spring A, Fig. 3, we obtainrattan properly seasoned, or any other suitable kind of wood, but ofwhich the fibers have not lost their natural strength, and we slice thesame longitudinally, with care to retain the air-cells of the same, andin a manner to obtain a strip, which We shape with proper tools to aneven thickness and to a certain size corresponding with the dial orinstrument for which it is intended. After these strips are shaped theyarebundled and softened,

either by subjecting the bundles to steam or placing the same in boilingwater for a certain .l

time. Having thus far proceeded, strip after strip is taken out from thehot water and care fully secured to the end of a wire or mandrel y.

ofproperdimensiou, and thestrip wound around said wire, similar towinding a common coiled.`

, ter having a number of these strips spun upon the respective wires andsecured to the same,

the whole is allowed to soakin a warm lye of potash in order to removethe greasy matters from the same, and is afterward drawn through hotwater again and in a perfectly wet state. t The same are one by onedipped in alcohol, to

which fire is set and allowed to burn off from it, whereby the pores ofthe springs or strips are forced open. Hereafter the outside of thesprin gs are hardened and preserved by means of drawing one by onethrough a gasiiameor over a hot iron, or by means of dressing thecircumference with alum or water-glass and coating the same withparatne, and finally the wires, with the springs, are dipped in asolution of carmine in spirit of sal-ammoniac, and after having becomedry again they are taken oft' 'from the wires. The springs are now cutoff to the proper length and proved by subjecting the same to a certainamount of moist air, and are properly adjusted with a corre spendingnumber of coils to expand corresponding with their intended dial. Thesprings are now completed, and are ready to be applied to theinstrument. To one end of the spring A is now cemented or otherwisesecured an indicator or hand, B, as represented in Figs. 2 and 3.

C is a round metal plate, fitted in the back D of the instrument in amanner so that it may be turned around in thesarne, if desired. Now, thesaid spring A is secured to this back plate, C, by means of a centralguide-wire, E,

iixed on the said plate C, where the final end ofthe wire E is turnedover upon said end of t the spring A, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3,so that the hand B will properly turn in front ofthe dial F of theinstrument, and that it may be set to any place on the dial by means ofturning the said plate C from the back' of the instrument.

G represents a metal casing of the instrument, the front of which iscovered with af glass plate, H, secured to it by a ring, I.

either by a common barometer or by placing the instrument for a shorttime iu a known very dry room, and setting the hand B by means of theplate C toindicate dry. It' after- Ward then situated to its designatedplace,

` VAthe spring A will expand or contract in ac-` cordance with tbemoistness contained in its surrounding air, and indicate the sameaccordingly on its dial by the hand B.

Instead ofusing rattan to make the spriugA, other Woods-such asWillowmay be substituted. Abutrat'tan is preferred,it beingless liableto decay or to loseit properties as a spring. Y

AWhat We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The employment ot' the spring A, made of rattan or any other kind ofWood, and articiaily coiled and prepared, operating in the manner andfor the purpose herein shown and described.

2.'The combination ot the spring A, made of rattan, with the hand B, orits equivalent, for indicating moistness contained in the airsurrounding` it.

3. The peculiar treatment and construction ofthe spring" A in hardening,preparing, and preserving the same, for the purpose and in the mannerherein shown and described.

R. BOEKLEN. W. STAEHLEN.

